THe Hunter's Moonlight Express
by kumatenshi
Summary: A cross between Hunter x Hunter & Yu Yu Hakusho
1. Prologue: Before the Moon Shines

Prologue:  
  
Before the Moon Shines  
  
  
  
In the vast sea of human imagination lies an island known as Togashi Yoshihiro Island. Though relatively small, this island has two major theme parks that have attracted million fans like you and me. Toward the East is the older Yu Yu Hakusho Park where the beauty of Kurama and the coolness of Hiei captured the hearts of many fan girls. However, the story that I am about to tell occurs in the newer park in the West --- the land of the "hunters".  
  
* * * 11 April --- 09:00 * * *  
  
Kurapika was sitting by the large French window of his room, listening to the CD his friend Senritsu gave him a week earlier, on his birthday. Considering his rather tragic life that was haunted with the thoughts of revenge for his friends and family, he could never believe those stacks of presents he got from his fans in different parts of the world. A majority of them were from Japan but there were also some from China, the Philippines, Europe, and the Americas. It took him a whole week just to browse through his presents. Taking a break from his "work", he leaned against the window and tilted his head upward, letting some of his elegant, blonde hair dance with the gentle breeze. His large, lovely brown eyes gradually turned crimson red as he caught sight of a spider crawling along the ceiling that was decorated with the scenery of heaven. In less than a second, the once lively body of the spider became motionless. Like an angel with broken wings, it dived from "heaven" and fell straight into "hell", which was really a black waste paper basket. And then, there was nothing but silence again.  
  
* * * 11 April --- 12:00 * * *  
  
Kurapika's quiet and peaceful world was shattered by the sudden uproar of the ringing doorbell. This was followed by the grand entry of man in a black suit, and two cute, younger boys.  
  
"Kurapika, you've got a letter!" the boy in green shouted. He was Gon, an innocent looking boy who could not be much older than 12, with hair pointing straight into the sky.  
  
"A letter? Not another one of those I hope," Kurapika pointed to the pile of fan letters sitting on the table in the center of the room.  
  
"We don't know," the man in the black suit, by the name of Leorio, responded, "there's neither name nor address."  
  
Kurapika took over the sky blue envelope from his friends and carefully opened it. Inside the envelope was a single sheet of paper yellow paper covered with a rather generic form of handwriting and four tickets. The letter read:  
  
Dear Mr. Kurapika  
  
The request I am about to make in this letter may appear to be a little demanding given we are not even acquainted. However, I believe you are the only person in this world who can help me. This is because you share with me the pain of witnessing our family and friends dying in front of our eyes, and in the hands of the Genei Ryodan.  
  
I shall be waiting for you tonight on the 21 o'clock Hunter's Moonlight Express.  
  
Mizuno Hitomi  
  
"What are you going to do, Kurapika?" Gon asked, "Are you planning to go?"  
  
"I cannot forego any information of the Ryodan," Kurapika said.  
  
"But Kurapika, this could be a trap!" Leorio said.  
  
"Even then, it's better than waiting here, clueless" Kurapika answered with a disappointed tone.  
  
"If Kurapika is going," Gon said, "I shall go too!"  
  
"But Gon, this can be very dangerous. You have already helped me several times before, I don't think you should risk your life for me anymore."  
  
"What are you saying, Kurapika? I cannot let you face the whole gang of the Ryodan alone. Besides, I have always wanted to see the famous Moonlight Express that takes us hunters to Yu Yu land. I really wish to get the signature of that Yusuke, whom many people say I'm similar to."  
  
"Gon…," Killua sighed, knowing it's hopeless to stop the enthusiastic boy at this time. Besides, he also wanted to meet the legendary Hiei whom many people said he was a complete look alike.  
  
"I also wanted to meet that Kuwabara in Yu Yu land and beat him up," Leorio said.  
  
"Why?" Gon, Killua, and Kurapika all exclaimed simultaneously.  
  
"Because that fool played the role of an idiot too well! Since many people think I'm like him, now they all overlook my good looks and gentlemanlike manners and treat me like that idiot!"  
  
"But you're really an idiot", Killua silently thought.  
  
"Most important of all," Gon suddenly said in a more serious manner, this Mizuno Hitomi has sent you not one but four tickets, meaning she knows about us. In that case, it is in our interest to know if this is truly an ally or a new enemy.  
  
Upon hearing Gon's words, Kurapika wore a melancholic expression on his face because he did not want to get his friends involved in any more danger for his sake. As if reading Kurapika's mind, Leorio attempted to cheer him up by saying, "Since we've decided, why don't we get ourselves ready? After all, we're going on a trip!"  
  
"That's a good idea! Gon, let's go to town to get ourselves some new clothes!" Killua suggested and the two boys rushed off to town.  
  
"Kurapika, you should get some rest too, we have a long journey ahead!" Leorio said gently and Kurapika nodded.  
  
In a far away place, not known by Gon and his friends, a girl is watching. As if speaking to herself, she wickedly murmured: "Good luck to you, Kurapika, and your friends. May I wish you a pleasant trip to Yu Yu land, that is if you can survive the Moonlight Express"! 


	2. First Glimpse of Moonlight

The First Chapter:  
  
First Glimpse of Moonlight  
  
  
  
"So this is the renowned Moonlight Express! It's the first time I have ridden in a train this grand and elegant!" Gon exclaimed. There was reason for his excitement for the Moonlight Express was no ordinary train. The train itself was composed of 15 sections. Within each individual section, there was a lobby for boarding and departing the train, a dining cart, an entertainment cart, and 4 guest compartments. The guest compartments were further divided into one VIP compartment with only single-person rooms, and three economy compartments, with two-person rooms. The moment you board the train, an extremely beautiful female humanoid computer would welcome you and scan your ticket.  
  
Once on board, most of the first-time passengers would drop their jaws for the special lobby area of the train was not decorated with wood or metal. Rather, its décor composed mainly of human imagination, or more precisely, the passenger's imagination. Hence, if you love nature, you will see a train covered with the wildlife of the Brazilian rain forest. There were two pathways extending from the lobby. The one on the left led to the dinning cart and the one on the right, the entertainment cart. Right next to the dining cart was the first economy compartment and beyond that, the VIP cart. On the other side, right next to the entertainment cart was the first economy compartment followed by the second right next to it (See figure 1).  
  
  
  
Figure 1. The Floor Plan of Section 15 of Moonlight Express  
  
  
  
Gon was still admiring the European style dining cart when Killua caught him by the collar and dragged him toward economy compartment I. "Let me see, room number 1507. We'll be in this room. Kurapika and Leorio, you two are 1508, just next to us." Killua said.  
  
Kurapika stared at his ticket. It wasn't entirely pleasing to be in the same room as Leorio, especially given the past experience during the hunter test. It's extremely annoying, to have a person who thought he was Domingo[1] when he was not, to be singing in the shower. Kurapika approached the door. At that instant, a 3-D computer generated image politely greeted Kurapika and Leorio and requested them to scan their ticket at the lock and to speak their names. It seemed the compartment doors could only be opened by card keys and the appropriate voices.  
  
Upon entering their room, Killua immediately assessed the level of comfort of the bed while Gon walked around the room and took a good look at the furniture. The room was pretty simple, with a large window right behind the beds. In between the beds was a small bedside table with a lamp and a vase, filled with carnation. In front of the bed was a small cabinet with a computer that could log onto the hunter's network. Right behind the computer was the bathroom wall. The bathroom was quite small, with only a toilet, simple shower, and washing basin.  
  
Kurapika and Leorio's room was similar to Gon and Killua's room in every aspect. Leorio was tired from carrying the luggage and decided to take a shower. Kurapika sat himself on the bed and picked up a card on the bedside table. It bore the phrase "Three chimes, and the longer sword strikes three more times" on it. Kurapika frowned and said to himself, "Mizuo Hitomi, so that's where you are". At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Kurapika opened the door to find Gon and Killua smiling before him.  
  
"Kurapika! This place is really cool! I'm glad we've come. Right, Killua?"  
  
"Yeah! It'd be better still if that idiot isn't singing." Killua said sarcastically.  
  
"I can't wait to see Yu Yu Land!" Gon totally rejoiced.  
  
"I guess you two shouldn't be so at ease. After all, we're not on a trip and remember, we're not alone on this train".  
  
Leorio walked out of the shower semi-naked as usual.  
  
"Yo, Gon, Killua. So, Kurapika, what's the plan?"  
  
"Please put on your clothes first Leorio! It's an unpleasing sight."  
  
"Hey, we're all guys here so what's the problem. Eh? What's that card there?" Leorio picked up the strange card.  
  
"Three chimes, and the longer sword strikes three more times?" Leorio wondered, "What does this mean? Anyway, why don't we go to the dining cart for a drink? I'm thirsty."  
  
"Good idea!" and Gon led the way to the dining cart.  
  
The four of them chose a small table at a corner by the table. Gon ordered a lovely chocolate cheesecake while Killua indulged himself with a chocolate parfait. Leorio ordered a glass of white wine and Kurapika just had a sugarless latte.  
  
While the two young boys were busy with their sweets, Leorio broke the silence, "So, what's that card all about?"  
  
"I think it indicates the location of that mysterious Mizuno ," Killua replied, "She must be in Room 1503"  
  
"How do you know?" Leorio was quite puzzled.  
  
"The card said it quite explicitly. Three chimes refer to three o'clock and I suppose that's in the afternoon. So, it really stands for 15 for all the rooms on the Moonlight Express begin with 15. Then the phrase the longer sword strikes three more times. The longer sword should be referring to the longer hand or minute hand of the clock and strikes three times means 3 minutes. So, Mizuno Hitomi must be in room 1503."  
  
"Yosh, let's go to room 1503 to her now!" and the four walked in the direction of the VIP compartment. However, they could not open the intercompartmental door. Another 3-D computer generated image appeared.  
  
"Sorry sir, but only passengers with VIP tickets could enter this compartment."  
  
"We just want to contact a person. The name is Mizuno Hitomi. She is in room 1503."  
  
"Wait a minute, sir, I'll contact her for you".  
  
While waiting, Gon noticed a tall young man with brown hair and a pacifier in his mouth approaching the door to the VIP section.  
  
"What a weird guy," Killua thought.  
  
The young man scanned his ticket and said, "Ko-enma[2]". The door opened and there was already an elderly lady standing on the other side of the door.  
  
"My name is Mizuno Hitomi, thank you for coming. Please follow me."  
  
The four followed the eldery lady to her room. She was about the same height as Kurapika, perhaps a little shorter. Her head had turned completely white and the original complexion of her skin could hardly be deduced owing to the thick layer of powder. Her room, though similar in size, appeared to be much more spacious because there was only one bed. Furthermore, the décor was grander and there were extra facilities like a mini bar.  
  
After a brief introduction, Mizno invited her guests to their seats but Gon asked, "Mizuno san, I am sorry but could I quickly use your bathroom?"  
  
"Sure". Then she asked if the other three wanted something to drink.  
  
A minute later, Gon reappeared from the bathroom with a confusing look on his face. "Mizuno san, could I ask you a question?"  
  
Mizuno was slightly surprised but said, "Sure" right away.  
  
"Why do you have to pretend to be an old woman?" Gon asked.  
  
"Why would you say that?"  
  
"Because when I entered the bathroom, I noticed quite a lot of hand and face lotion".  
  
"But Gon, even old women use lotion!" Leorio said.  
  
"That's right, but if she is really an old lady, then she must be one who cares for her own skin and appearance. In that case, she would at least have some anti-aging cream or revitalizing cream. However, there was none among that plethora group of lotion. Still further, I noticed a few acne wash. Why would an old lady have acne?"  
  
"Gon, you seem to be more perceptive than I have imagined. You're correct. I'm no elderly. As a matter of fact, I am just a little older than you." Mizuno said as she removed the mask that concealed the face of a goddess. Her wavy silver hair that barely crosses her shoulders shines along with the stars of the night. Her eyes a beautiful hazel color, and her complexion not far from the magical color of white.  
  
Leorio dropped his jaw in amazement.  
  
"But why this masquerade?" Killua asked.  
  
"To see how long it takes you to find out I'm just pretending. You can call it a test if you want. After all, I have solicited you to help me with such an extremely important task."  
  
"But what is it that you want us to find?" Gon asked curiously.  
  
"That is…" At that moment, there was a slight knock on the door.  
  
"Who is it?" She called out with a cautious voice.  
  
"Room service. The lemon pie you ordered is here, madam."  
  
"Sorry, but I have no recollection of ordering any lemon pie!"  
  
"Oh, I am very sorry, madam."  
  
Mizuno pressed her voice lower and said, "We must be careful, there are eyes everywhere on this train. Before I proceed with my story, I have something I must show you." And she pulled out from her pocket a folded piece of paper.  
  
"What is this? This strange language, I can't understand" Killua asked.  
  
"It is encrypted version of the passenger list of this section of the train." Kurapika said.  
  
"The passenger list? But isn't that information confidential?" Killua asked.  
  
"It is, but a few simple clicks can ease my communication with the main computer." Mizuno said with a little pride in her voice.  
  
"In other words, you hacked into the computer of Moonlight Express?" Gon looked amazed.  
  
"Er…yes but it is necessary for my own safety and yours as well."  
  
"Our safety?" Gon looked confused.  
  
"Yes," Kurapika said as he refolded the list, "because it is important that we realize ALL of the Ryodan members are on the Moonlight Express, AND IN THIS SECTION!"  
  
Gon, Killua, and Leorio stared at each other, completely dumbfounded.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
----------------------- [1] One of the three renowned tenors in the world  
  
[2] Ko-enma is the young lord of the Underworld in Yu Yu Hakusho. He's like the boss of Yusuke and gives him missions to handle. In case you're not familiar with Yu Yu Hakusho, you should still understand this story without problem. 


	3. The Null Stone

The Second Chapter:  
  
The Null Stone  
  
* * * 11 April --- 22:30 * * *  
  
"First, free tickets onto this spectacular train, then an old woman turned young lady, and now the news that all members of the Genei Ryodan are here, exactly what is happening here?" Leorio is both confused and annoyed.  
  
"I'm sorry for all this confusion and may I now explain myself. The truth is I am a priestess of a small village in the Hunter's Land where my mission is to guard the null stone".  
  
"What is that?" Killua asked.  
  
"It is basically a stone that can collect, store, and transform nen power into any form of energy. It can also increase the nen power of any nen user by removing the barriers caused by the specific nen type."  
  
"…?"  
  
"In simpler terms," Kurapika explained, "it's like my Emperor time where the nen user can use all the different nen systems at 100% level. However, unlike Emperor time, you don't have to be tokubetsu type (special type like Kuroro), plus there is no time limit and it does not exhaust the user afterwards because the extra nen power is derived from the null stone and not the nen user."  
  
"That is convenient!" Killua said with excitement.  
  
"It is", sighed Hitomi, "but it is so powerful that in the past, it has resulted in many tragedies and so its creator asked our ancestor --- Kusanagi Touya, a famous researcher of seals --- to guard the stone and for a while, the stone was safe and forgotten by mankind. Unfortunately, a few months ago, the Ryodan came, slaughtered everyone in the village, and stole away the stone. I could only survive because I was then praying at the secret base in our village and the Ryodan wasn't aware of that."  
  
"So, the Ryodan now are almost invincible!" Killua shivered.  
  
"Not really. It seems the Ryodan haven't found a way to remove the seal of the stone as yet. However, I have heard they have asked a famous seal remover from the makai (place where demons reside) of Yu Yu land to assist them at breaking the seal. I suspect the two parties will meet up on this train."  
  
"And you want us to help you use this opportunity to get back the null stone?" Gon asked.  
  
"Yes. If the Ryodan manages to remove the seal of the null stone and uses its power, disaster will befall this world again, just as what happened centuries ago. Also, I will not be able to fulfill the last wish of my parents. I…I must get back the null stone before it's too late!" Tears began pouring down her cheek like stardust, attracting sympathy from the rest of the people in the room.  
  
"Hey, stop crying. We'll help you, right guys?" Killua said.  
  
Gon smiled. Leorio nodded, but Kurapika just stared at Hitomi with eyes that indicated he understood her feelings perfectly.  
  
"Now that we know what's happening, we need to plan what we are going to do. Why do you think the Ryodan wants to unseal the null stone here on this train? " Gon asked.  
  
"That's because there is a rule on this train that no aggressive energy can be released while the train is moving. Since this is an express train, it won't stop until it arrives in Yu Yu land three days later. If I were the seal remover, I would want to perform the ceremony on this train so that the Ryodan cannot kill me after the ceremony and must honor the terms of the transaction."  
  
"No aggressive energy? Meaning we cannot use nen at all?" Killua asked.  
  
"Not really," Hitomi further explained, "I mean you can still use nen to search for objects or to heal wounds but not for attacks."  
  
"If we cannot fight, then how can we get back the null stone?" Gon questioned.  
  
"We can still fight," Kurapika smiled, "not with our hands though, but with our brains. It's almost midnight now. Why don't we all get some sleep and then meet again tomorrow morning to plan on how we can get back the null stone".  
  
"Sounds good. By the way, can I ask Mizuno san one more question before I go to bed?" Gon said cutely.  
  
"Sure, Gon and just call me Hitomi." Hitomi said.  
  
"Why is the stone called 'null stone'?"  
  
"Ah, that's because the stone itself is neither good nor evil. In the hands of an angel, it can save millions. However, in the hands of the devil, it can ruthlessly destroy the whole world."  
  
"Then why is the 'null stone' not given to an angel to save other people and instead hidden from the human race?"  
  
"That's because there's no angel in this world. Even the kindest of all persons, once in contact with power, the heart will gradually become corrupted. Eventually, the person will be blinded by his own greed, so blinded that he would allow his own happiness and the happiness of the people around him to be eroded away."  
  
* * * 12 April --- 07:00 * * *  
  
"There's no angel in this world." Hitomi's words kept ringing in Gon's head throughout the night. Up until now, Gon had longed to become a powerful hunter, just like his father. He went through the hunter test, the tournament on the skyscraper, and training with Wing sensei[1] just so that he could become stronger. However, could his thirst for power erode away his heart and bring sadness and misfortune upon those he loves? Remembering his father and how he deserted him, remembering Aunt Mito and the many tears she shed in the middle of the night, could his own father's heart be corrupted by the lust for power already? Gon could not be sure. All he could do was to trust his own father. At that moment, his alarm clock rang loudly. The LCD panel of the clock displayed a big 07:00. Killua was still sleeping very soundly and with one sleepy hand, silenced the clock. Gon woke up and headed to the little shower room to brush his teeth. In 15 minutes, he was ready. He tried to wake Killua up but his efforts were in vain. He then proceeded to the dining cart where he found Kurapika already up and reading a book.  
  
"Good morning, Kurapika!" Gon called out cheerfully.  
  
"Good morning, Gon." Kurapika answered politely.  
  
"Kurapika, what do you think we should do upon seeing the Ryodan? They'll immediately recognize us!" Gon worried.  
  
"I know, but the Ryodan knows best that on a train like that, we both cannot use nen to attack each other. So, even they see us, there's little they can do, just like there's little I can do, except …" But Kurapika had no time to finish his sentence for Gon noticed the beautiful brown eyes already turning crimson red, indicating the Ryodan had arrived.  
  
"Oh my friends, talking about coincidence, it seems Togashi land is smaller than we think! After all this hard work of searching, the chain guy is just right in front of us!" Kuroro said in a rather weird tone.  
  
Kurapika was silent but his eyes were sharp and filled with a fierce aura. Yet, he soon turned into a complete shock when he saw Ubogin coming into the dining cart.  
  
"Great! Now, it's pay back time!" Ubogin shouted and raising his fist but Shalnark quickly held him back.  
  
"Stop Ubo! Here's not the place to fight! Have you remembered what I told you before? Any aggressive actions on this train would be penalized! We have more important things to do at the moment than to deal with the chain guy. You can do anything you want the moment we arrive at Yu Yu Land!"  
  
"Ubogin…but aren't you already dead?" Kurapika gasped with horror.  
  
Gon was already saying his prayers to try to drive the soul or ghost or whatever back to his resting place.  
  
"Ah, don't you know when a character died in Hunter's Land or Yu Yu's land, he wouldn't disappear for good, he would just be sent to a different land, called the paradise or hell land within the Togashi territory."  
  
"How come?" Gon asked.  
  
"That's because all the characters are licensed and copyrighted by Togashi Yoshihiro. You can't just claim me, say, Ubogin to be yours even though I'm dead in the Hunter's World. However, since I'm still in Togashi's territory, I can travel via this Moonlight Express to other parts of the World (except Hunter's Land where I can never return)". By now, Ubogin is weaping.  
  
"Shut up, Ubo you big guy and stop whining like a baby. After all, Hell Land is not that bad. People all think it's a scary place where you'll be tortured eventually. However, I get a pretty decent treatment there. Look, even my figure has improved!"  
  
And all the guys nodded as they stared at Pakunoda's well developed breasts which had even become fuller. Machi and Suzuki took a look at theirs and quickly contemplated on a beauty treatment trip to Hell Land.  
  
Just now, it was Pakunoda who spoke. Even she was on the Moonlight Express!  
  
"Crap, Kurapika thought to himself. On this train, they could practically ignore Ubo and those brainless spiders who had nothing more than strength. However, if they were caught by Pakunoda, it would be pretty bad as she could peep into their memories".  
  
"It seemed what Mizuno san said was really true" Gon thought. "Kurapika, let's go back to our room".  
  
Kurapika nodded, wiped his face, rose, and turned to leave along with Gon. The two were heading back to Mizuno Hitomi's room, where they agreed to discuss their plans of action. Gon was following Kurapika and judging how bad the situation was when he felt someone hugging him from behind!  
  
"What the…" Gon never finished the sentence for he turned to find Hisoka smiling at him.  
  
"Kid, have you become riper? I wanna eat you earlier ^o~" Hisoka said with a seducing voice.  
  
"Hi…Hisoka? Even you are here? Haven't you left the Ryodan already?"  
  
"Well, sort of, but then I want to meet you, so I have come on board the Moonlight Express! Aren't you delighted, my little pussy?"  
  
But Gon never managed to hear the rest of it for he had just vomited his breakfast and was already fainting with an overdose of disgust by the words of Hisoka.  
  
Kurapika slapped Hisoka quickly on the face and shouted, "Curse you, Hisoka the pedophilia!" He then picked up Gon and hurried to Gon's room instead.  
  
Hisoka was watching as the two vanished into the hallway.  
  
"This is getting more interesting." Hisoka murmured to himself and began humming a theme.  
  
  
  
To be continued  
  
  
  
----------------------- [1] Sensei = teacher 


	4. East Meets West

The Third Chapter:  
  
East Meets West  
  
* * * 12 April --- 08:30 * * *  
  
Kurapika carefully rested Gon on his bed in his little cabin. The poor boy was still feeling dizzy after encountering the crazy Hisoka. Killua was then wide awake and fully dressed. When he heard what happened from Kurapika, he stood up and marched toward the direction of the door. Kurapika rushed in front of him.  
  
"Where are you going, Killua?"  
  
"Naturally, to kill the bastard". Killua said in an angry and matter-of- fact voice.  
  
"Have you forgotten we cannot use aggressive energy on this train?" Kurapika said with a lecturing tone. "Our priority now is to go to Hitomi- san's room and discuss our plans of actions."  
  
"But we can't let that bastard roam about. We don't know what he will do next. Maybe tonight, he will sneak in here and…and…well, do that to Gon!"  
  
"Do what?" Gon asked innocently. Killua's face turned a tomato color. Kurapika also looked slightly embarrassed.  
  
"Killua," Gon said in attempt to relieve the awkward silence that befell the room, "I am alright. Thank you for worrying for me. Besides, even Hisoka did sneak in; you will protect me, right?"  
  
"Of course. I will not let that bastard lay a single finger on you." Killua said with confidence.  
  
"Great, that's settled, let's all go to Hitomi's room now."  
  
When Gon, Kurapika, and Killua arrived at Hitomi's room, they found Leorio was already comfortably seated on the carpeted floor. Beside the familiar faces of Leorio and Hitomi, there were four other people that they had not met before.  
  
"You guys surely are late. Please come in and settle yourself comfortably. Want something to drink?" Hitomi asked but Gon, Kurapika, and Killua shook their heads.  
  
"In that case, why don't we quickly take turn and introduce ourselves. Let me see, could we start with you, Leorio-san?"  
  
"Me?" Leorio was a bit surprised.  
  
"Please, Leorio san". Hitomi said with a sweet smile. Leorio was too shy to refuse the request of a girl. So, he began, "My name is Leorio, 18, and a medical student. I have passed the Hunter's test and am currently trying my best to earn some extra money with my Hunter's license."  
  
"Wow, a medical student, Leorio-san you sure are smart!" said the guy sitting next to Leorio. He was a teenager with short, curly and brown hair. His face in itself was nothing but a tragedy. His small eyes and awkward nose joined together to present a smiling face that was more scary than comical.  
  
"Thank you. It's really not that hard to be a doctor in the Hunter's World." Leorio blushed, apparently pleased by the flatter. "So, who are you?"  
  
"Ah, the name's Kuwabara, I'm 15 and in high school right now. My goal is to enter University when I graduate."  
  
"I am sure you will make it." Leorio laughed.  
  
"You two get on really well," Killua said sarcastically, "but I remembered just yesterday someone was saying he would beat up that idiot should he meet him."  
  
"Idiot?" Kuwabara frowned.  
  
"Don't listen to that kid, Kuwabara-san. He's nothing but a little liar." Leorio said.  
  
"What!" Killua was getting angry now.  
  
"Killua!" Gon tried to calm his friend down while Kurapika shot an angry look at Leorio.  
  
Kuwabara seemed to notice the little nonverbal communication between Kurapika and Leorio and said, "Leorio-san, your girlfriend over there doesn't seem too pleased."  
  
"Girlfriend?" Leorio was puzzled. "You mean Kurapika? Well, Kurapika is not my girlfriend."  
  
"No? What a pity. You two certainly look good together." Kuwabara said with a sigh.  
  
"You think so?" Leorio wondered but there was not much time for a book was already flying across the room and hitting him right in the face.  
  
"Kuwabara-san, my name is Kurapika, and I AM A BOY. B-O-Y. My current job is to protect my boss' daughter, Neon." Kurapika said angrily. His eyes were also turning bloody red. Kuwabara stared at Kurapika. Such a beautiful face and fair complexion. He was still in doubt but he felt it would be better for him to keep quiet from now on, before he would be sent flying out of the train. Besides, if Kurama could be a boy, there was no reason why this Kurapika could not be.  
  
"Kuwabara-san," Gon said innocently, "Kurapika is really a boy. He doesn't look like a girl, does he? A girl should be more beautiful, say like that lady with red hair over there." Gon pointed at Kurama.  
  
Everyone suddenly centered their attention at Kurama and noticed his face turning from normal to white, then to black with anger. Hiei giggled, probably the first time in his life. Yusuke and Kuwabara were bursting into laughter. "Kid," Yusuke said while struggling to hold back his laughter, "Kurama is a guy, G-U-Y as well!"  
  
"Huh?" Gon said in surprise and dropped his head in embarrassment. "I am truly sorry, very sorry, super sorry, extremely sorry, Kurama-san."  
  
Looking at the innocent Gon, Kurama's anger had to die away.  
  
"It's alright." Kurama forced out a polite smile.  
  
"Yes, kid, don't worry, you're not the first to make that mistake. By the way, my name is Yusuke, probably 15. Anyway, I'm not sure what I want to be in the future."  
  
"Why not a cop?" Kurama suggested.  
  
"Why?" Yusuke asked.  
  
"Because you are good at fighting, and almost nothing else beside that. So, if you find a brainy partner, you should eliminate the yakuso (gangsters) in no time." Kurama said rather sarcastically but Yusuke was not in the mood for joke. Before he could take any action against Kurama though, Gon suddenly jumped up and ran over to Yusuke, shaking his hand energetically and hugging Yusuke. "Wow, so you're the legendary Yusuke! I have always wanted to meet you!" The latter was so shocked he froze. Gon continued, "No wonder I have a sense of familiarity when I look at you. I'm supposed to be your look alike in Hunter's Land. The name is Gon, I'm 12, I'm also a hunter and my dream is to become very strong, just like my father!"  
  
"I've heard about you. That foolish Togashi created a look alike of me without my permission over in Hunter's Land but I did not imagine we are that similar. Nice to meet you, Gon!"  
  
"And this is my best friend, Killua" Gon said pointing to Killua who was a bit jealous seeing how Gon embraced Yusuke.  
  
"I'm Killua, 12, a killer by profession in the past. Now, I just want to tour around the world." Killua said as he stared at Yusuke with eyes that seemed to be saying, "Let go of Gon NOW or I'll CRUSH YOU!"  
  
"Hiei-san, would you like to introduce yourself?" Hitomi asked in an attempt to relieve the increasingly tense atmosphere in her cabin.  
  
"No." Hiei replied, clean and to the point.  
  
"You can ignore that monkey over there," Kuwabara said in a not-so-pleased voice. "That kid is good for nothing. Don't even know why he should be called in here."  
  
"At least I have greater use than a brainless broken face like you." Hiei reprimanded.  
  
"What did you say!" Kuwabara clenched his fist.  
  
"Please stop you two!" Kurama interfered. "This is Hiei," he said pointing to the shorter boy with dark, spiky hair. If not for the hair color, he was like Killua's twin. "Hiei may appear to be cold but he can be really friendly." Kurama said smiling. Hiei blushed a little and remained silent.  
  
"Seems like you have all introduced yourself!" The young man whom Gon had seen before while waiting to meet Hitomi, suddenly emerged from the bathroom. Popping out suddenly from nowhere was really typical of Koenma.  
  
"Ah, it's the weird guy we saw yesterday!" Killua said to Gon. "I remember his pacifier."  
  
"I'm not a weird guy and this is no pacifier! Anyway, my name is Koenma and I'm the ruler of the Spiritual World in Yu Yu land."  
  
"Ruler?" Killua doubted.  
  
"Spiritual World?" Gon wondered.  
  
"Now that the introduction is over, can I ask a few questions?" Kurapika said with a slightly frustrated tone. His impatient character obviously could not tolerate this lengthy introduction.  
  
"Sure", Hitomi replied as if she were chairing the discussion.  
  
"First question, why are the representatives of the Spiritual World in Yu Yu Land here? Could that person the Ryodan call in to unseal the null stone be a criminal wanted by the Spiritual World? Second question, Koenma-san, what were you doing the whole time in the bathroom? Playing hide-and-watch? Last question, Hitomi-san, if you are just a priestess in Hunter's Land, how come you know the leader of the Spiritual World?"  
  
"Let me answer the first two questions." Koenma said, and finally with a tone of authority. "Regarding why we are here, I have to say that's because Ryo, the monster the Ryodan employed to release the null stone is an S- class monster who should be jailed in the deepest level of makai (demon world). Exactly how he escaped we did not know but he not only is a seal remover, he also has extremely strong demon powers that will cause us big trouble if he manages to sneak into the human world in Yu Yu Land."  
  
"What powers?" Gon asked.  
  
"It's hard to explain but let's just say he can unseal the filthy wishes that are normally suppressed by the superego in Freudian terms. So, when human lusts are free to roam about uncontrolled, you can imagine what the world will be like."  
  
"That sounds freaky," Gon said though he did not really understand what Koenma was talking about.  
  
"But how did you manage to imprison a monster who can undo all seals?" Killua asked, adding, "I suppose you catch monsters by sealing them, right?"  
  
"Yes, and that's a really good question. To imprison him, my father suppressed his memory. Without his memory, he could not remember the spells of unsealing and so for quite a while, he did not pose a threat to the Spiritual World. But my father was ill lately and I suppose the suppression was weakened a bit. Hence, it seemed he remembered enough to free himself from his prison in makai."  
  
"It all makes sense now." Kurapika said thoughtfully.  
  
"How?" Leorio asked.  
  
"Here's what I suspect. Ryo wanted to recover his memory but he could not because they were suppressed. So, he agreed to help the Ryodan in exchange for his memory."  
  
"Can the Ryodan do that?" This time it was Kurama who raised the question.  
  
"Yes, there is a woman among the Ryodan called Pakunoda. She has the power to read other people's memories. Ryo's memory may be suppressed so that he cannot recall them but that doesn't mean Pakunoda cannot read them. I think Ryo wants Pakunoda to read all his memory pertinent to his powers and shoots a memory bullet at him so that he has his memory back in the form of new memory. All Koenma's father can do is to suppress his old memory but not the new one he acquires through Pakuoda this way. In return, he will unseal the null stone for the Ryodan."  
  
"So the most important person to watch out for among the Ryodan is really this Pakunoda. Why don't we just catch this woman and imprison her somewhere on this train. In that way, that Ryo cannot get his memory back and everything will be fine." Yusuke said simple-mindedly.  
  
"Well, if only reality is so simple". Hiei who had been really quiet until now, spoke up. "I am pretty certain the other members of the Ryodan will guard her well."  
  
"True," Killua said, "so Koenma, hurry and answer the next question so we can get on with our planning." Killua said. Obviously he too was interested in what Koenma was doing in the bathroom.  
  
Koenma blushed a little and said, "Well, I just used the bathroom as people normally would use it."  
  
"But for so long?" Yusuke asked. "You were in there way before those three arrived and don't tell us you were taking a shower. You said you already had a long one this morning."  
  
"Well…"Koenma blushed even more.  
  
"I know what he has been doing." Kurama suddenly said confidently and that naturally attracted everyone's attention.  
  
"He must be trying out some of Hitomi-san's lotion. Look, his face is a bit whiter than his normal complexion as on his neck. Also, his skin seems smoother as well."  
  
Koenma was so embarrassed he wanted to flee from the room as Kurama was totally correct. The collection of Hitomi's lotion was really great plus he had never tried lotion from Hunter's Land. Fortunately, Hitomi came into rescue by changing the topic.  
  
"I think it's my turn to answer the last question then. How come I know Koenma and the Spiritual World in Yu Yu Land? The simple answer is I don't, well, not until last night. I hacked into the computer system on this train to get the passenger's list and found that people from the Spiritual World also came. I suspected they came to catch whoever was trying to unseal the null stone. I thought maybe we could cooperate and so knocked on the door of the one in the VIP room as he should be the leader of the pack. I spoke to Koenma at around midnight and revealed to him my intentions and he agreed to that. Clear and simple."  
  
Kurapika was staring at Hitomi with doubtful glances. Apparently, this Hitomi girl was more than just a beautiful maiden from some shrines in Hunter's Land. She could be more dangerous than he initially thought she was.  
  
"Ahem," Koenma said as he finally emerged from his embarrassing moments a few seconds ago, "Now that we have some answers, should we move on to our plan? There's not much time left before this train arrives at Yu Yu Land. Once there, there's nothing we can do to stop the all-powerful Ryo and Ryodan."  
  
But there was no time for them to plan. A 3-D computer image suddenly appeared in the room and the humanoid image said, "Dear passengers, sorry to interrupt you but we have an emergency on this train. The body of a VIP passenger was just discovered in room 1501. Judging from his appearance, he should be Mr. Ryo from Yu Yu Land. The security on board this train was already informed of the tragedy and would arrive on the scene shortly. Meanwhile, would all the passengers please return to their room and remain in there until further notice. Thank you very much for your cooperation. Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience."  
  
All the people in Hitomi's room could do nothing but stared at each other with blank faces. Could there other news more shocking? Perhaps not at the time.  
  
To be continued. 


	5. The Investigation Begins

The Fourth Chapter:  
  
The Investigation Begins!  
  
* * * 12 April --- 11:00 * * *  
  
Silence befell the dining cart despite all the passengers on board Section 15 of the Moonlight express had gathered here. Inside of the head of each passenger though, the echo of "murder" could be heard loudly and clearly. Every soul was wondering why this Mr. Ryo was killed, and more importantly, who killed him. Since the train was moving, no one could get on or leave the train. This meant the murderer must be among the passengers. Further, he or she must be a person who was extremely intelligent and deceptive in order to execute his plan on a train with such a high level of security.  
  
Then, silence was broken by the voice of the waitress Kaori, one of the two three non computer generated staff on the Moonlight Express. "I have finally contacted the detective in charge of this case. Since he could not board the train at the moment, he would conduct the investigations via this 3-D projector with the aid of the captain of the train, Captain Kuuya, the waiter Takeshi and myself. I shall now turn over to Inspector Togashi!"  
  
Again silence reigned as all the passengers stared at the computer projection with awe. The inspector was no other but Togashi Yoshihiro, in short, their creator. Togashi yawned and said with a frustrated voice, "When I have finally stuffed the mouth of those annoying people at Shounen Jump by handing them manuscripts, I thought I could go home and take a good rest. When I got home though, guess what I saw --- the big news headlines screaming on my screen: "Murder on the Moonlight Express! The greatest disaster in the history of Togashi Land!" There is no way I can tolerate such an irresponsible act for this will result in the decrease of tourists in Togashi Land, meaning less income for me and lower salary for all of you. Upon hearing a potential decrease in pay, all the passengers gasped and small voices of complaints could be heard.  
  
"Silence!" Togashi shouted in an attempt to regain control in the cart. "That's the reason why I am here, to find out who the culprit was and to give him or her, a very good punishment." Togashi burst into a wicked laughter but quickly halted when he perceived suspicious eyes congregating in his direction. He then took out a small book titled: "Solving Murders for Dummies". Bypassing the dull and commercial introduction, he flipped to page 8 and read, [Step One: KNOW THE VICTIM! Examine the crime scene and the circumstances under which the victim met his or her end.] He then put down the book and ordered, "Kuuya, who is the victim?"  
  
"The name the victim registered with the Moonlight Express was Ryo. He claimed he was a businessman in Yu Yu Land and he was traveling with his younger sister, Miss Mai and a friend, Mr. Kei. Mr. Ryo stayed in the VIP room 1501 while Miss Mai and Mr. Kei shared an economy compartment, in room 1511."  
  
"Okay, I know the victim, now tell me what happened this morning and also scene of the crime." Togashi ordered.  
  
"Most certainly sir," Captain Kuuya answered politely and professionally, "At 09:47, Miss Mai requested CGI staff PX-0112 to inform Mr. Ryo that she wanted to see him. PX-0112 scanned the room for heat reaction but there was none in the room and it told Miss Mai that her brother was not in the room. Miss Mai said she searched the whole train but there was no sign of her brother. PX-0112 then ordered a graphical scan of the room and discovered that Mr. Ryo was lying in his bed, supposedly dead. PX-0112 immediately notified the human staff on board and sent you, my boss, the news of the tragedy. It also initiated the emergency lock of Mr. Ryo's room so that no one could enter the room, neither via the door or the window. Thus, no one could have entered room 1501 since 09:47 this morning. I will now order the computer to reconstruct a 3-D image of Mr. Ryo's room."  
  
Room 1501 was very similar to Mizuno Hitomi's room, with a little shower, bed, and a tiny bar. Mr. Ryo's body lied peacefully on his bed. Except for the absence of body heat and heart beat, Mr. Ryo was just like a man soundly asleep. Upon seeing her body's brother, Miss Mai could not help but break into a sop. Her friend, Mr. Kei tried his best to calm her down. On the beside table right next to Mr. Ryo's body, there was an empty medicine bottle.  
  
"Could the computer zoom into the label on the medicine bottle?" Togashi asked.  
  
"Of course, my boss" and Captain Kuuya gave the computer the zoom command.  
  
"Elkuzine? What is that?" Togashi pondered.  
  
"It is an extremely rare and poisonous plant growing exclusively in the Eastern forest of the Hunter's Land. It has medical value, especially in curing a very unique illness known as the Amuka Syndrome." Leorio demonstrated his medical knowledge but Togashi did not thank him. Instead, he rendered the doctor-to-be a suspicious glare.  
  
"So, Ryo was killed by Elkuzine poisoning and whoever gave him the medicine was the murderer. Now, I only have to find out who that is. One more thing, what about the time of death?" Togashi asked the computer.  
  
"I am very sorry sir but the medical scanning system in Mr. Ryo's room cannot be activated. Consequently, the time of death cannot be determined."  
  
"What! The scanning system is not functioning?" Togashi exclaimed, "What does this mean?"  
  
"This means the murderer was careful and smart enough to hack into the central computer system on the train, deactivate the medical scanning system of 1501, or probably even the whole train." Kurapika said calmly and turned his eyes toward Mizuno Hitomi, remembering how easily she had gotten the encrypted passenger information. Hitomi seemed to notice Kurapika's eyes but returned a commercial smile instead. Annoyed at the new complication, Togashi picked up his "Solving Murders for Dummies" again and flipped to page 10. [Step Two: TALK TO THE PEOPLE! Find out the dirty little secrets they are trying to hide, in short, find out the MOTIVE.]  
  
"Okay, seems like I will have to talk to all of you. Kuuya, exactly how many people are here at the moment?"  
  
"PX-1101, please read out the passenger list to Inspector Togashi" Captain Kuuya commanded.  
  
"Yes sir. In the VIP compartments are Mr. Ryo in 1501, Mr. Kuroro in 1502, Miss Mizuno Hitomi in 1503, and Mr. Koenma in 1504. In economy compartment I are Mr. Gon & Mr. Killua in 1505, Mr. Kurapika & Mr. Leorio in 1506, Mr. Yusuke & Mr. Kuwabara in 1507, and Mr. Kurama & Mr. Hiei in 1508. In economy compartment II are Miss Machi & Mr. Hisoka in 1509, Mr. Ubo & Mr. Nobunaga in 1510, Mr. Kei & Miss Mai in 1511, and Mr. Feitan & Miss Pakunoda in 1512. Finally, in economy compartment III are Mr. Franklin & Mr. Bonorenofu in 1513, Mr. Corutopi & Mr. Phinx in 1514, Mr. Shalnark & Miss Shizuku in 1515. The last room 1516 is reserved for the staff Mr. Takeshi & Miss Kaori."  
  
"Holy cow, there are so many! You know what, now is lunch time. Why don't we all take a break and I will resume the investigation this afternoon. And Kuuya, I'll give you the ISBN of this "Solving Murders for Dummies". Try to download a copy from the electronic server just in case you will need it". Those were the last words before Togashi logged off, but he never logged in again, not until the Moonlight Express arrived at Yu Yu Land. That was because careful as he or she was, the murderer completely isolated the internal server of Section 15 of the Moonlight Express by cutting off the entire external communication network. 


	6. The Thinking Machine

The Fifth Chapter:  
  
The Thinking Machine  
  
* * * 12 April --- 16:00 * * *  
  
Freud once said "the strength of the taboo against homicide is the measure of its attraction". Just as Adam yearned to learn the taste of the forbidden fruit, the curse of curiosity often propelled humans to venture into forbidden territories. In this case, it was the realm of murder. What curbed some and promoted others to kill were the circumstances, the levels of self-control, the beliefs, and deterrence, generated by the legal system. Although most of the passengers on board section 15 had either killed or witnessed gruesome slayings in the past, the thought of being so close to a cunning and diligent murderer could still bring about agitation. The atmosphere became tenser as minutes and hours passed without a sign of the return of Togashi. Finally, as the old grandfather clock in the dining cart struck 4 times, Captain Kuuya appeared, wearing a melancholic expression on his now weather beaten countenance.  
  
"Dear guests, I am sorry that I have to announce this terrible piece of news. The main communication system in the train was tampered and destroyed soon after Mr. Togashi logged off. In the last 240 minutes, we have tried to repair it but our efforts were in vain and I must now declare that until we arrive at Yu Yu land, we are completely isolated from the external world. Consequently, the official investigation will be postponed until our arrival at our destination. In the meantime, I urge each of you to take extra precaution of your own safety. If you require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the staff on board. Thank you for your attention."  
  
"Captain, why do you have to investigate at all? It's obvious that the murderer is this Koenma and his subordinates. They were the only ones who have the motive to kill my brother!" Mai said with rage and focused her fierce eyes on the white face of Koenma. The latter though remained calm and silent. It was Yusuke who replied with anger, "Bitch, what the heck are you talking about? We didn't kill your brother!"  
  
"You didn't? Then who else would. You were the only ones with the motive anyway." Mai fought back bravely.  
  
"Miss Mai, Mr. Yuusuke, please calm down." Captain Kuuya requested politely. Mai took a deep breath and tried to calm herself but she would not remove her fearsome glance from Koenma and Yuusuke's faces. "Now, Miss Mai, can you please elaborate a little on what you just said? Why would you think Mr. Koenma and his companions are the murderers?"  
  
"Well, you see Captain, my brother was imprisoned for a long time because the rulers of the Spiritual World were afraid that my brother's immense powers would pose a threat to their sovereignty. We were about to give up hope after a series of doomed rescued trials, when the memory seal on my brother suddenly weakened. We seized this opportunity to get our brother out of the Spiritual World and we boarded this train to escape but somehow those people from the Spiritual World managed to track us down. Knowing we could not fight on the Moonlight Express, they poisoned my brother end of story. The case was clear and simple. So, captain, please arrest though murderers!"  
  
"Oh my gosh, Mr. Koenma, was what Miss Mai saying true?"  
  
"Yes and No, Captain" Koenma replied with tranquility and authority. His usual appearance might be a child but his handling of the current crisis indicated that he lived much longer than he looked. "It was true that we boarded this train in pursuit of the escaped convict, Mr. Ryo. However, we did not poison Mr. Ryo."  
  
"Since when would a murderer admit to a crime?" Mai shouted with fury.  
  
"Sorry to disturb you," Gon raised his hand and said courteously, "but I think it is too early to say Mr. Koenma is the murderer because there is no evidence indicating that he gave Mr. Ryo the poison."  
  
"Besides," Killua said after taking a sip from his strawberry milkshake, "how do we know that Koenma is the only one who has the motive to kill this Ryo guy. You are his sister, it's also likely that for some reason you want to get rid of him and so pretend to bring him onto this train and poison him."  
  
"What! You little brat, what are you saying!" Mai was absolutely furious and ready to blast off like the nuclear bomb in Yokoshima.  
  
"Please clam down, Miss Mai" Captain Kuuya literally begged her this time while wiping sweat that began to collect on his forehead. The waiter, Takeshi who had not spoken a word, suddenly said, "I also think it is too early jump to conclusions at this stage but Captain, I think it will help if we have a brief chat with each of the passengers".  
  
"Takeshi, but we are not detectives!"  
  
"We aren't but we can learn to be. I started downloading the dummy guide that Mr. Takashi was talking about the moment he mentioned it. I think I shall be able to push the investigation a little forward with the help of that book. Besides, knowing Mr. Takashi, it would be good if we have something to report as soon as we arrive since he would not want to bother himself with every single minute detail."  
  
Captain Kuuya stared at the reliable face of Takeshi and let out a sigh, "maybe that's a good idea. I'll count on you then, Takeshi."  
  
"Yes, Captain, please leave it to me. I will try my best". Then, he turned to the guests and said, "Dear guests, sorry to keep you waiting. You can all return to your room now. When your name is called though, please come to the dining cart for a brief chat with me. It is not an official interrogation but I just would like to get a few details of why you are on board this train and what you were doing last night. If that is alright with all of you," Takeshi quickly surveyed the faces of the guests. Apparently none was pleased but all of them seemed to think that was better than sitting, waiting, and doing nothing.  
  
"In this case, I shall begin with the passenger in 1501. Mr. Kuroro, could you please stay?" Kuroro remained in his chair with his eyes closed. He attentively listened to the hurriedly departing footsteps of the passengers. When the dining cart became deadly silent again, he opened his eyes. Takeshi was already seated right opposite him. He slowly opened his eyes and said, "You mind if I have a coffee while we talk?"  
  
"I will bring it for you." Takeshi rose but Kaori, who was still in the dining cart, halted him. "I will fetch the coffee." She said and disappeared into the kitchen.  
  
"Mr. Kuroro, I don't want to keep you for long so I'll make it clean and fast. First, could you please tell me why you were on board this train?"  
  
Kuroro did not say anything, he just stared at Takeshi with his cold and calculative eyes as if he was trying to read the latter's mind. Takeshi felt a chill in his spine as he looked at the face of Kuroro. That expressionless but dangerous face and the cross on the forehead, although invisible, seemed to be emitting an evil aura.  
  
"For business", Kuroro finally said when Kaori reappeared with his coffee, a few packets of sugar, and a tiny jar of milk.  
  
"What kind of business?"  
  
"A secret" Kuroro said while sipping his black coffee. Kaori let out a sigh of disappointment at hearing the reply. Takeshi seemed to notice the burning curiosity inside Kaori and invited her to take a seat, which Kaori happily complied. Kuroro smiled and said, "Just kidding. I am sure you will find out sooner or later so it's better if you hear my version of the story. The truth is, I have business with Mr. Ryo and the transaction will take place on this train, at the banquet tonight. The substance of the transaction I can't reveal but I can tell you that my friends and I have absolutely no reason to kill Mr. Ryo."  
  
"Why?" Kaori asked.  
  
"Simply because we still haven't had the chance to finish the transaction with Mr. Ryo. I spent a fortune to get myself and my friends on board this luxurious train and we are not stupid enough to kill off our business partner before getting what we want. Makes sense?"  
  
"Most certainly. Seems like we can move on to the next question, do you know anything about Elkuzine?"  
  
"No, I don't know much about medicine as I'm not a doctor".  
  
"Would any of your friends know about it?"  
  
"I don't know as I am not a psychic and I can't read what's in my friends' minds."  
  
"Okay, then why don't we move onto my last question: What were you doing last night?"  
  
"I was in my room."  
  
"By yourself?"  
  
"Yes. Is there a problem with that?"  
  
"Not really, could anyone verify that?"  
  
"Your computer system can. Doesn't it log the number of times I enter and exit my room?"  
  
"Yes, it does but look, the murderer is a computer expert who can easily hack into the system and disable the medical scan as well as disconnect us from the outer world. We cannot trust our computer anymore."  
  
"Then, you just have my words to trust."  
  
"I see, thank you very much Mr. Kuroro. That is all for the moment but I hope you will cooperate with us should we have further inquiries."  
  
"Naturally, I also want to know who killed Mr. Ryo and interrupted our plans. By the way, Miss Kaori," Kuroro smiled attractively as he scribbled a name and number on the napkin, "the coffee is excellent. In case you are tired of working on the Moonlight Express, give my pal a call. I am sure he can provide you with the funds you need in case you wish to open a coffee store. After all, I am sick and tired of the many Starsucks in Meteorite Street."  
  
Kuroro then rose and left the room, leaving behind the blushing Kaori whose face turned pink like a Fuji apple, and the quiet Takeshi who was pondering like the thinking machine.  
  
Who will be next?  
  
To be continued 


	7. Of Dreams and Nightmare

The Sixth Chapter:  
Of Dreams and Nightmare  
  
As though a thousand vampires, from the day   
Fleeing unseen, oppressed that nightly deep,   
The straitening and darkened skies of sleep   
Closed on the dreamland dale in which I lay.  
  
Eternal tensions numbed the wings of time   
While through unending narrow ways I sought   
Awakening; up precipitous gloom I thought   
To reach the dawn, far-pinnacled sublime.  
  
Rejected at the closen gates of light   
I turned, and down new dreams and shadows fled,   
Where beetling shapes of veiled, colossal dread   
With Gothic wings enormous arched the night.  
  
~ Nightmare, by Clark Ashton Smith ~  
  
***12 April --- 16:45***  
  
With a thousand different thoughts racing through his mind, Kuroro slowly walked out of the dining cart and headed for his room. He unlocked the door and rested himself on the bed. Yet, before he had the luxury to close his eyes, there was a knock on the door. Reflexively, he approached the door and flicked the door switch. The metal slid to reveal the weary face of Shalnark. His eyes had turned watery and red with fatigue, indicating he had not slept the previous night. Following the signal of Kuroro, Shalnark sank into the chair right in front of the computer screen while Kuroro returned to his resting position on the bed. A conversation was supposed to commence at a moment like this but somehow both sides failed to take the initiative. Finally, it was Kuroro who broke the silence and asked, 


End file.
